Quality Assurance (QA) of diagnostic equipment such as x-ray equipment (radiography) and fluoroscopy (radioscopy) is necessary to ensure the production of high quality diagnostic information via x-ray images. Both initial acceptance testing and periodic routine examinations are part of quality assurance. The present invention has application to both radiographic and fluoroscopic commercial x-ray equipment, but will be described herein in the context of radiographic equipment.
The term “phantom” is typically applied to a device that is used for acceptance testing and routine ongoing testing of diagnostic x-ray equipment. In particular, a phantom is a device used to determine image quality and patient dose under clinical conditions. In addition to the phantom, certain other x-ray test equipment is necessary for Quality Assurance. Acceptance testing and the provision of a suitable on-going testing routine are typically the responsibility of a qualified medical physicist. Periodic quality assurance using the prescribed testing routine is typically the responsibility of a designated and trained x-ray technologist.
A number of testing phantoms is available commercially: each has its recommended testing routine. The American College of Radiology has created a set of Accreditation Program Requirements and developed a phantom (the ACR phantom) that is commonly used according to those requirements for acceptance and ongoing testing of x-ray equipment. The ACR phantom produces information that allows the accurate assessment of the diagnostic quality of images produced by a medical x-ray unit.
The need thus exists for phantom systems and methods that allow the accurate assessment of the diagnostic quality of images produced by a medical x-ray unit but which are light, have a small form factor, and are convenient to use.